Why Heesen yachts attract serious buyers
Heesen occupies a distinctive position in the Dutch superyacht market: the builder that combines northern European engineering quality with genuine performance. While Feadship and Amels focus on displacement hull forms and bespoke customisation, Heesen has built its reputation on speed — all-aluminium construction, advanced hull design, and propulsion systems that deliver 25–30 knot top speeds in the 40–80 metre range.
This performance focus translates directly into brokerage appeal. Heesen yachts attract buyers who want the Dutch quality assurance — Lloyd's or Bureau Veritas classification, meticulous systems engineering, high-grade materials — without the multi-year delivery timeline and premium pricing of a fully custom Feadship commission. The yard's speculative build programme means near-new Heesen vessels regularly enter the market within 18–24 months of contract.
The aluminium advantage
Heesen was among the first European yards to commit fully to aluminium construction for superyachts. The advantages are significant: aluminium hulls are approximately 40% lighter than equivalent steel structures, allowing higher speeds with less fuel consumption. Aluminium is also non-magnetic and corrosion-resistant in saltwater, reducing long-term maintenance costs. The trade-off — aluminium requires more sophisticated welding techniques and quality control — plays to Heesen's strengths as a precision engineering yard.
The yard's larger vessels (55m+) use a steel hull with aluminium superstructure, combining the structural strength of steel below the waterline with the weight savings of aluminium above. This hybrid approach is standard across the Dutch industry, but Heesen's execution is particularly refined — the yard's fit and finish at the steel-aluminium transition is consistently praised by surveyors.
Current Heesen range and brokerage values
| Series | Size | Construction | Brokerage range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heesen 3800 / 4000 | 38–40m | Full aluminium | €5M–€12M |
| Heesen 5000 | 50m | Full aluminium | €14M–€24M |
| Heesen 5500 / 5700 | 55–57m | Steel / aluminium | €18M–€32M |
| Heesen 6500 / 7000 | 65–70m | Steel / aluminium | €28M–€48M |
| Project series (custom) | 50–80m | Varies | €20M–€60M+ |
Notable Heesen yachts on the market
Heesen has delivered approximately 190 superyachts since 1978, with the fleet heavily concentrated in the 40–55 metre range. Notable recent deliveries include Project Cosmos (80m, 2022) — the largest Heesen ever built and the fastest full-aluminium yacht above 80 metres — and Galactica Super Nova (70m, 2016), which set speed records for its size category at delivery.
On the brokerage market, Heesen vessels from the 2015–2023 build period are particularly sought after. These represent the yard's most refined engineering generation, with improved noise and vibration levels, modern stabilisation systems, and interior specifications that compete directly with Feadship and Amels at equivalent sizes. Older Heesen yachts (pre-2010) offer exceptional value — solid Dutch engineering at price points well below current market comparables.
Buying a Heesen: what to expect
The acquisition process for a Heesen follows the standard superyacht brokerage pathway: broker engagement, vessel identification, offer, survey, sea trial, and closing under the MYBA Memorandum of Agreement. Heesen's engineering documentation is typically thorough and well-organised, which simplifies the survey process and reduces due diligence timelines.
For buyers considering a new build, Heesen's speculative programme offers the fastest route to a Dutch-built superyacht — hulls are constructed on spec and customised to the buyer's requirements during the fit-out phase. Delivery from contract is typically 18–24 months, versus 3–5 years for a fully custom project at Feadship. See our Feadship for sale page for a comparison, or our buyer's guide for the full acquisition process.